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The Event that Isn’t … or Is It?

Here’s a screen capture from the Half-Mind Events Calendar:

Normally I include links in calendar entries so that readers can go straight to the event’s own website if they’re interested and want to know more. In this case, however, the event’s own website turned out to be no good, so I linked to the organizer’s email address instead. I hate doing that, because the organizer, Stray Dog, is notorious for not answering email. I’m tempted to drop the event altogether.

What’s wrong with the event website? It doesn’t contain any useful information, and the event is only three months away. Stray Dog’s own calendar listing for the event links to a sub-page that can only frustrate anyone who might want to attend. Here’s a capture of part of that page:

As you can see, there’s a registration link, but when you click it there’s no rego form, not even a snail-mail address to send money to. There’s nothing under “What You Get” other than an outdated price (it says you can register for $69.95, but I hear elsewhere the price is now up to $125). There’s nothing under “Lodging.” Nothing under “Who’s Coming.” Under “Venue” it simply says “Orlando, Florida.” Under “Contact Us” it says “Larry ‘Stray Dog’ McDowell,” with no email link or phone number.

Don’t believe me? Go here, sign in (yes, you have to sign in in order to get no information … if you don’t sign in, you’ll get less than that, impossible as that may seem), and then click here … go on, I’ll wait.

There. Am I lyin’? You know I’m not, because you just saw it with your own eyes! The event is three months away and there’s no useful information on the event organizer’s own page. Is that how you’d advertise an event you’re putting on?

You will have noticed by now that I list the event as “Global Trash Hash 2012″ whereas Stray Dog grandiosely lists it as the “18th World Interhash in Orlando.” Why am I being an asshole and not calling the event by the name Stray Dog gave it? I’ll tell you why. Stray Dog has a long record of stealing the names of successful H3 ventures and events in order to make his own ventures and events seem more important than they really are. His website was originally called Global Trash, but after a few years he renamed it the World HHH Site, attempting to capitalize on the popularity of Magic’s World HHH Handbook & Directory. Once Hashspace became a hit, he renamed his site again, this time calling it World Hashspace. Now he’s trying to co-opt the name “Interhash” itself, knowing full well that most hashers refer to our biennial world gathering as “World Interhash.”

In fact, Stray Dog’s event is the 18th iteration of his annual Global Trash Hash, an event that typically draws less than 100 hashers. I refuse to participate in this sort of misdirection and false advertising, and I’m calling the event by its real name.

But as I said, I’m tempted to call it nothing at all and take it off my calendar altogether. The reason I haven’t done so is because that’s the sort of thing Stray Dog does. If he doesn’t like an event, another website, or a particular hash kennel (usually because they kicked him out), he removes all mention of it from his website (ask the members of the Birmingham Alabama H3 about the time Stray Dog delisted them from his hash directory … and that’s just one example). So I’ll keep it on the calendar, even though no one else lists it (there are two other world H3 event calendar sites, plus the event listings on Hashspace, and this event does not appear on any of them).

I haven’t even touched on the most uncomfortable aspect of this particular event, and that is how Orlando came to be selected as the host venue. Stray Dog lives in China, you see, and by all available evidence he simply stuck a pin in the map to come up with Orlando. He did not coordinate with any of the hash kennels in Orlando before naming them co-hosts, and officially at least he does not have their support. Here’s part of an email from an Orlando area hasher, a mismanagement member of one of the larger kennels there:

Finally I feel I must chime in with a personal story of Stray Dog contact.

It all started just about a month ago when our hash, Other Orlando H3, heard we were “hosting” the official world hash 2012. Needless to say we were all very surprised. Some of us are registered for Kenya 2012, and there are some other local events around the same time in conflict, so it just didn’t make sense that someone from our hash would agree to take on such an event. There was much banter between SD and our webmeister. SD explained the things he will need from us as official hosts, and how gracious we should be to receive all the glory.

The final outcome was he chose our city as a hash venue without ever consulting any of our hash groups. He says he did, but there are just too many holes in his story; we are now confident he did not.

So we called a mismanagement meeting of all 5 Orlando hashes (O2H3, WTFH3, MCH3, OTH3 and BPH3). We actually discussed whether SD’s plan is feasible, and whether we had enough interest and so on. We agreed unanimously that we are not interested. If some of our members want to help SD they certainly can. But none of the Orlando hashes will be an official cohost. We informed SD of our decision.

Then one of our members contacted SD independently and offered to help hare a trail in an unofficial capacity. Shortly thereafter SD announced again that we are the official cohorts. I just wanted to let everyone hear our side of the story.

Orlando will not be hosting SD’s interhash in any official capacity.

Simply put, this is not how host venues are chosen in the hash. Yeah, yeah, there are no rules, but if there’s one thing all hashers understand, it’s that everything we do is done voluntarily. We don’t “volunteer” cities and regions to host large hash events. The push to host and organize a large event has to come from hashers in those cities and regions. We may be disorganized, but we’re disorganized from the bottom up, not the top down.

What Stray Dog has done here (and he’s done it before, as he did when he “volunteered” the Huachuca H3 to host a USA Nash Hash in southern Arizona a few years ago) is shocking and contrary to hash tradition. The reaction of Orlando mismanagement, at least to my mind, is surprisingly mild. I would have told him to pound sand.

But I won’t. Instead, I’ll just ask Stray Dog two simple questions. One, if you’re going to play I’ve Got a Secret with hashers who might want to attend your event, how can you expect them to send you beer money? Two, if you can’t even keep your own event page up to date, why should hashers trust you with their beer money in the first place?

p.s. Stray Dog, in a comment to a previous post, accuses me of spreading doubt about his event’s existence. Au contraire, Stray Dog, I’m spreading doubt about your competence as an organizer and webmaster.

8 comments to The Event that Isn’t … or Is It?

I clicked on the first you cited above and got the “Certificate Error” screen. I could not even get to the Sign In part. Not sure who I feel more sorry for — Stray Dog or those who sign up for the event.

OK, first, not sure what browsers you guys are using, but all the pages are working fine and have the content I wanted them to have if you took the time to read them. Let me take them one at a time.

Second, Little Pig and I are transitioning to the States from China. While there may be minor problems in the site, all the necessary info is current. We are here now and things will start moving. However, the registration works, the details are there, the Who’s Comin’ is behind, but will be caught up, the transportation and hotel lodging discounts and pages are good, so what more do you want F. B. Hell, you don’t have the guts to come anyway, because you learned in Arizona that the trails are great, food is plentiful, price is reasonable and the people are friendly at event I support – 17 Global Trash Hash/World Interhash events since 1995 and seven very successful Nash Hashes (though I only get full credit for one of those), but you left that out.

1. What you get page…

It is a sample of what has been provided in the past because I do not wish to promise something, like many hash organizers and not come through with it. The amount Flying Booger referred to, if he could read, which he did not as usual, refers to the cost of the last World Interhash in Jiangmen, China … Duh! But as usual, Flying Booger would rather call me names and find fault (reference “Asshole” and my name next to each other in the search words) than to get to any truth.

2. Registration – The price is clearly listed on the linked page and the link works to the World HHH Marketplace where you pay. You do have to log in to register, but then, you have to provide details about you for any registration process, so a log in is not unreasonable. Funny how just this week another registered with no complaints, huh?

3. I was the founder of Huachuca HHH and know they would have no problems putting on the event and guess what, it was one of the best USA Nash Hash’s ever. Too bad Flying Booger only came for one run, never showed up on site or attended anything else that weekend because, guess what, he could not find anything wrong. Had he attended the entire weekend, and been honest, he would also agree that it was better than most interhash events for the price he ever attended, starting at $69.95. I lived in Jiangmen, Orlando, near Heidelberg, Germany and Okinawa (before Flying Booger started hashing) and can set a trail in any of them from memory having done scores of them at most locations. These venues were voted on at the last event in Jiangmen. Just because Flying Booger did not approve them does not make them any less and just because we are a true world event does not make it subject to anger from the pro Asia-Down Under crowd. To each their own and an idea well supported by my 26 thousand members.

4. “There, am I lyin’” Probably not, Flying Booger, but you are wrong and apparently do not know how to use a browser. The website works for everyone else, there is large international support for World Interhash and once it comes out of the visa jail of the U.S., I expect 500 to a thousand in Heidelberg and over a thousand in Okinawa. I just find it sad that I honor Orlando and the U.S. by having our World Interhash here for the first time, and you trash it and do not support the notion. No wonder Interhash stays in Asia-Down Under, you cannot even support your own.

5. As for the Orlando note, I find it childish and a slap in the face as a regular member of three of the hashes in Orlando in ’97 and ’98 and supporter of their events for over a decade that they would, instead of being honored to host the World Interhash, band together to try to trash the idea because they either cannot control the event or were not begged to be so honored. I have put this out to hashers around the world and they also do not understand the Orlando folks. My responses have been unanimous that they should have been honored to finally get a world event in their area and that they are poofters with their response. I am not the one being judged here, at least by the hash world, they are for their In-Crowd mentality. Apparently, all the hashers coming from around the world are not welcome by these hashes and are being shit on. This looks bad for hashing in America, is simply bad hashmanship. There are some who will be helping me, but not in Orlando. Shame on you Orlando. Do you really want a reputation as the town that was unfriendly and refused to support visitors from around the world just because, like with IAH, you cannot make a lot of money in your coffers to have parties afterwards?

6. I did not know that Flying Booger was the final arbiter of hash protocol. These hashes were chosen at the last venue to start this event and keep it going. In Orlando, we will choose by elected committee that next venue in the Americas rotation. If Flying Booger wants to bid, show up in Orlando and put in his two-cents worth there. Otherwise, it is not any of his business how we choose our venues, though it is spelled out in detail on the website. This was drawn up by hashers around the world who put in their two cents worth and ratified in Jiangmen. So get off the pot and support it or S.T.F.U. It seems to me that a lot of people who have never put on an event or attended all of one of mine have a lot to say about something they know nothing about. Here is a list for you to ask from people who actually know me and/or have attended events:

Cat Woman, Penis Head, Barrell Roll and More Leggs Dayton HHH

Dancing Fool – Philadelphia HHH

Rambo – Richman HHH and not in Africa.

Ra – webmaster of Half-Mind

Tainted Bone/Miso Thorney – Birmingham HHH

And a host of others from the U.S., Asia, Africa (even Addis Ababa HHH Ethiopia), Surrey England, UAE/South Africa, and more over the years who all swore that they have more fun and got more for their money at my events than any other.

It is SOOOOO unhashmanlike to trash other people’s events, but since you have never put on a decent sized one yourself, I guess if you can do it, you criticise others, huh?

See everyone in Orlando, if nothing else, so you can all prove what a lousy organizer I am, or you might actually find out how a well-organized event is put on. Personally, I think the reason Orlando is scared I am putting on an event in their area is that in the future, they will have to meet my standard and make less money and give more. At least I will have orange juice, unlike when I went to IAH there. On a reasonable note, I have enjoyed events in central Florida, but they need to understand, that unless they are perfect, the need not cast stones in glass houses, because, there is certainly room for criticism for any event. The thing is, to do so is unhashmanlike.

All the times I advertised and supported their events, you would think they would be more supportive of mine. Sad.

P.S. I have the blessing of a co-founder of Heidelberg, More Leggs, to hold the event there and who will probably attend in 2013. Dal “Jock” Trader is paid and signed up for the Okinawa “Reunion” I like to call the 20th World Interhash in Okinawa in 2014. There is wide support for both, although most of my supporters reside overseas where it is hard to get a visa to Orlando, you will see a large shift when it goes abroad. Global Trash Hash, an international event attended from around the world, and now under its name World Interhash since Jiangment, China, will be around, just like the USA Nash Hash that was boycotted by many trashing World Interhash today, long after the poofters finally quit trashing it.

What I said is still true. Here are two screen captures from your own WorldHHH.com calendar page, taken less than ten minutes ago:

This is the “Registration” tab. As you can see, there is no rego link here. It tells you to go to the “What You Get” tab for more info on how to register.

This is the “What You Get” tab. No info on how to register. Outdated pricing information.

In other words, SD, every fucking thing I said in my original post is still true.

You may well have another page set up for the event, but you have not bothered to update your own calendar. To most hashers, the WorldHHH.com calendar is the front door to your event. If hashers can’t find what they’re looking for when they come knocking, they’re going to go away.

At the top of worldhhh.com is a link called, strangely enough, “World Interhash”. If you had clicked on that main menu option you would have linked to http://www.worldinterhash.com like the rest of the hash world. If you had come to me directly instead of trashing me to the whole world first, I would have corrected you and said, “Thanks Flying Booger for telling me the calendar entry is bad. By the way, did not not see the main link in the menu called, World Interhash?” Everyone else seemed NOT to avoid it, but then that would not have fitted in nicely with your trashing me and the event and the hard work of the people putting on this event. If you do not put on events or attend them, do you really have a right to trash the hard work of others. I think not. But, alas, thanks for pointing out that several levels down on my site in the calendar, I have outdated information, even if anyone can see that there is a link to the real site.

You never cease to amaze me, I thought you were over your bitterness towards me. Sad. However, I do applaud your 5th amendment trend to let people respond when you trash them and set the record straight!

Again, Flying Booger, I dare you to come to Orlando and actually attend the whole weekend, then tell me if I am the great threat to hashing you have me made out to the rest of the hash world in your work.

Speaking of the “SOOOOO unhashmanlike” trashing of other peoples’ events, Stray Dog, how do you think the organizers of Interhash 2012 in Java felt when you sent an email message to 25,000 hashers worldwide on Aug 17, 2011, titled “Voter Fraud, Kenya Won the Interhash for 2012″? Do you need a reminder of what you said then? The full text is at http://pwoodford.net/hashblog/?p=5286, in case you’ve forgotten. Have a nice day, and good luck with the Orlando event.

As participants from as widely scattered places as Okinawa, England, Switzerland, New Zealand, China and many other locations showed up for this, the world’s smallest world interact event, the main topic of discussion was who is Flying Booger and what is his problem? Local Florida hashers were appalled at the local hashers who were spreading the false rumor that I schedule these events every year, take in money, then never hold the event. Paraphrasing their words, as they downed good beer, ate good and abundant food, ran to great pubs, enjoyed top entertainment and even had a good tourist location thrown in for their $69.95 to $125 fee, “What the fuck is up with these poofters?”

When did so many in-crowd,” if we can’t control it, it cannot happen” people come into the hash world. More down downs to thin out these negative types are warranted in my personal opinion.

I remember on three continents that if you held an event, they would come. Nobody trashed another person’s events. As for me passing along comments from my readers about corruption and Asia/Down Under centricity of Interhash, well, those same comments were passed on by Flying Booger and his readers here, so that is a bit hypocritical don’t you think F.B.?

So all that said, everyone left Orlando happy, well served by the event and disappointed that there were so many people (I won’t use the word hashers because their behavior is not hash behavior) who trash me and my event just because they do not like me for some perceived reason that has no real basis.

I leave you with this. Nobody who has ever attended one of my events ever thought they did not get their money’s worth and nobody ever said they did not have a good time. All these assholes who are trashing my events and calling them fake have never once attended one of them. Off my soapbox now.

See you in Heidelberg next year and in Okinawa the next, where the founders of both have already registered and, unlike Orlando (who held the 3rd event in ’97 by the way with no problems), felt honored that their hashes were chosen to host.